Monday, September 19, 2011

SAUTEED APPLES with PORK ROAST aka SUGAR APPLES

During these glorious fall days that are upon us, nothing is better than crisp fresh apple. That old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" works for everyone, except for those with OAS. An apple a day, uncooked, would surely send you straight to the couch for the day, and then a trip to the doctor if you have a really severe reaction.

So, we can settle for having them cooked. I love the combination of pork with apple. You can always do applesauce, but if you have a bit of extra time or want something extra special, try sauteed apples with your next pork roast.

1 pork roast, cooked any way you like (I do it with onions, garlic and rosemary)
1 blob of butter
4 empire apples, peeled and sliced
1 - 2 tsp of granulated sugar, depending on how much of a sweet tooth you have

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add apple slices and stir constantly. After about two minutes, add the sugar. Keep stirring. Cook until apples are softened but not mushy. Serve on top of roast pork slices.

This is really good for all, even those who can bite into a delicious sweet apple without issue. Kids will eat this too, just tell them it is sugar apples...works every time.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Living through the summer with OAS can be challenging and frustrating. There is an abundance of beautiful fruit and vegetables surrounding me, from luscious red raspberries to crisp green beans to cute cherry tomatoes, and I can't have any of it. But the worst, by far, for me, is corn on the cob. Frozen corn is fine for me, but I have a mild reaction to it on the cob, and therefore I think I should avoid it. The first time this reaction happened, my first thought was, "Oh no! Not corn on the cob!" It had, of course, been cooked and should have been fine for me to eat. The last time I couldn't have corn on the cob was when I was a teenager with braces on my teeth. The presence of the braces made biting into a cob of corn painful at best, impossible at worst.

But, it seems there is a way to replace it. It isn't as much fun, but at least you don't have to watch everyone else eating yummy, buttery corn on the cob while you stare at a plate of lonely meat. The other thing I like about this is that it is almost like eating a real salad! One thing about this one though, avoid the walnuts if you can't tolerate them. I can manage them roasted, but not everyone can.

NOT CORN ON THE COB SALAD

1 cup frozen corn, cooked to death
1/4 cup roasted walnuts
Sprinkle of Reallime lime juice (I can usually have this, if you think you can't, zap it in the microwave for ten seconds and try it that way)
Crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese to taste
Salt and pepper

Stir all this together in a small bowl, and enjoy as a side with whatever else you are having. It goes with everything!